Listen to a Virtual Dawn Chorus Walk

April 2020

We'll start in the virtual carpark (imagine Rowantree)
where we would hear straight way the local
Blackbird
and
Robin
singing nearby, plus both
Blue
and
Great Tits
in the nearby woodland. (In the
background we may also hear
Woodpigeon
and drumming
Great Spotted Woodpecker, and
distant Pheasant, Carrion Crow and
Jackdaw.) Setting off along the trail we
soon hear the persistent songs of Chiffchaff proclaiming their territories in
the birch woodland. Not to be confused with the rather similar Great Tit - note the slower metronomic
sound of the former ("chiff - chiff, chiff - chaff") compared to the
quicker song of the tit (mnemonic: "teacher, teacher"). Soon we will
hear a Willow Warbler - closely related and very similar in appearance but with
a very different song - a distinctive descending, rather plaintive song (and not to be confused with the
not too dissimilar but quicker song of the Chaffinch.) Both Chiffchaff and Willow
Warbler also have a rather distinctive hweet (Chiffchaff) hweet (Willow Warbler) call. You will
remember, I hope, the subtle markings to tell these two species apart - duller
plumage, indistinct supercilium (the pale stripe above the eye) and dark legs
for the Chiffchaff, and brighter greenish colouration, stronger supercilium,
and pale flesh-coloured legs on the Willow Warbler. These are just
generalisations of course and these features often overlap.

Also in
the same area we will hopefully pick up the beautiful loud fluid song of a
Blackcap, often compared to the song
of a
Nightingale (which doesn't occur up here).

Moving on down the trail into a more
scrubby area with scattered gorse and broom, we will hear the "little bit
of bread and no cheeeese" song of a Yellowhammer and hidden away down at the
bottom of the bushes the rather sweet song of a Dunnock. There may also be some Goldfinches around with their twittering
song and calls. Further up the slope in the taller pines, a Song Thrush will be giving its loud
repetitive three- or four-note song while a hidden Wren will be belting out its song too
- such a noise from such a small bird.

As we
leave the area of scrub and enter an area of conifers we will hear, but maybe
not see a Goldcrest, very high pitched and possibly
out of the hearing range of some people, and higher up the calls of Coal Tits. At the tops of the trees there
may be a small flock of Crossbills - listen out for their distinctive jip,
jipcall, and may be their pleasant song, though since they breed very
early in the year most will have ceased their territorial song by now. And
there will almost certainly be some Siskins.

Returning
back along the trail, with continuing songs of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers
around us, we will turn up along a higher trail through the conifer plantation.
A Jays screech will punctuate the generally
quiet conifers. We emerge into the more open woodland above Pittodrie House
with scattered Caledonian Pines and see Tree Pipit exhibiting their parachuting
territorial trill, while a chittering flock of Long-tailed Tits pass by. Further up the slope
onto the heather moorland Skylarks will be singing and the far-reaching mew of
a Buzzard circling over the tree tops may well be heard. Hopefully most folk
will be very familiar with these common sounds of our countryside.

And so
wandering slowly back to the carpark the chorus gradually diminishes as the
morning wears on and gradually the forest goes quiet.

I hope
you enjoyed our early morning 'walk' and will come back again, hopefully in
happier times.